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Stretch Your Whole Body In 60 Seconds Or Less

I am happy to share with you my Natural Movement Stretching Routine – a mouthful, I know! It’s a simple, easy, and time-effective way to stretch the entire human body in the most natural, archetypical human movements. I initially intended it for clients on the go who don’t always have the time or floorspace for conventional stretches; this routine can be done in small spaces and requires no equipment or special clothing. But it soon became apparent that there are multiple applications of the Natural Movement Stretching Routine – to maintain flexibility and mobility, as a warm-up before exercise, as a cool-down after exercise, even as an assessment for basic movement capability. And did I mention it takes less than 60 seconds

The easiest way to remember the routine and make the movements full and smooth is to imagine two scenarios. In the first, You are reaching up with both hands to take a box from someone above you and place it on the ground at your feet. You then squat down like you will be investigating its contents. Then you stand and reach up again to grab a second box, but this one you pass to one side to the person standing behind you. Then stand and reach up a third time to take a third box and pass it to another person standing behind you from the other side.

For the second part of the routine, imagine you are standing in an orchard and reaching as high as you can to pick an apple. Then you try to sneak it into your pocket, but you are discovered by my four year old daughter. So you raise the apple up and reach back in the air as if you are pretending to throw it, and then step forward and pretend to throw the apple to divert her attention long enough for you to sneak the apple into your other pocket

Below is a video of my Natural Movement Stretching Routine being performed by my friend Josh Nunn, a bodyworker and health and fitness expert in Perth, Australia. I recommend Josh without hesitation, and his partner Kathy Menon as well; the pair work together at Structural Integration Perth.